Loved this! Especially the reference to DFW's Pale King. His critique on boredom and how we can never be satisfied and happy if we are chasing wealth in our lives is so accurate for these current times.
Great essay, Brock, thanks for sharing your thoughts! I agree that the problem is systemic. Since the age of industrialization, the machine has been the dominant metaphor of looking at the world. Humans are seen as machines that work as cogs in even bigger machines, the natural world is material for the machine to make stuff out of, and so on. Our entire society is built on that metaphor and I believe this is a major cause of the current meta-crisis we're experiencing.
So if we want a fundamentally different society, we need a fundamentally different metaphor for humans, for the world, and life itself. Iain McGilchrist writes about this problem in his books "The Master and his Emissary" and "The Matter with Things".
I believe we need a new Renaissance, a return to a view of humans as living beings that are connected to others and to the natural world, instead of isolated machines. It's either that, or the future won't be bright, as you put it. But I'm hopeful. I'm seeing more and more people writing about the problem, which is a good sign.
Good article, a lot more can be said about this issue.
It's a pity that too many people realize this only when it's too late. I appreciated the reference to the Pale King book. Another compelling example is Tolstoy's 'The Death of Ivan Ilyich.' Poor Ivan did everything he thought he needed to do in order to secure a 'good life,' only to discover—far too late—that he had forgotten to truly live.
Loved this! Especially the reference to DFW's Pale King. His critique on boredom and how we can never be satisfied and happy if we are chasing wealth in our lives is so accurate for these current times.
Great essay, Brock, thanks for sharing your thoughts! I agree that the problem is systemic. Since the age of industrialization, the machine has been the dominant metaphor of looking at the world. Humans are seen as machines that work as cogs in even bigger machines, the natural world is material for the machine to make stuff out of, and so on. Our entire society is built on that metaphor and I believe this is a major cause of the current meta-crisis we're experiencing.
So if we want a fundamentally different society, we need a fundamentally different metaphor for humans, for the world, and life itself. Iain McGilchrist writes about this problem in his books "The Master and his Emissary" and "The Matter with Things".
I believe we need a new Renaissance, a return to a view of humans as living beings that are connected to others and to the natural world, instead of isolated machines. It's either that, or the future won't be bright, as you put it. But I'm hopeful. I'm seeing more and more people writing about the problem, which is a good sign.
I agree and thank you for the thoughtful response. I'll check out McGilchrist's work
Good article, a lot more can be said about this issue.
It's a pity that too many people realize this only when it's too late. I appreciated the reference to the Pale King book. Another compelling example is Tolstoy's 'The Death of Ivan Ilyich.' Poor Ivan did everything he thought he needed to do in order to secure a 'good life,' only to discover—far too late—that he had forgotten to truly live.
I'm sharing here my take on a similar topic: "https://nichabuffona.substack.com/p/trading-life-for-a-paycheck".
Feed the machine, feed the machine.
Observe the machine as it's fed. Listen closely to the faint sounds of pleasure it makes.
Tell the machine that you understand its processes. Describe the machine to itself; do not merely praise or insult, but be discriminating.
At certain times during its cycles, the machine will anoint a selection of its feeders with a special oil. This oil is sweet and smells of home.
The smell of home is sometimes overwhelming within the machine.
The smell of home is sometimes overwhelming.
Yes. I've been thinking the same things (and writing a bit about it too):
https://waverings.substack.com/p/the-mythic-hero-is-not-an-individual
What to do about it is the big problem.